Motown's two slickest and most successful groups match up perfectly in this surprisingly nice album from 1968! It might be easy to write this off as a mistake or inessential session – but thanks to some great arrangements by HB Barnum, Paul Riser, and Gene Page, plus great vocals by the ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Reissue pressing, sealed, with a cutout notch.)

Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations —
Together ... LPMotown, 1969. Very Good Gatefold ...
Just Sold Out!

Motown's second pairing of its two biggest groups of the late 60s – a massive 7-voiced meeting in soul music, with results that are surprisingly great! Frank Wilson produced the whole set, and he does a good job of keeping all players in check – never letting the whole thing get too ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Original die-cut cover – including the perforated gatefold "poster". Cover has some wear.)

A 3-part soundtrack to this 3-part film that features different segments by Fellini, Visconti, and De Sica. The mode is Italian sex comedy – and the styles used here by Trovajoli and Rota are groovy and whimsical – occasionally touched with jazz or jerk/beat modes, but more in the ... (Soundtracks) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Black label RCA International pressing with deep groove. Cover has some wear, with some splitting on the top and bottom seams.)

Heavenly mystical soul from Rotary Connection! If you know the group, you know the deal already: Minnie Riperton sings vocals on a number of cuts, and the great Charles Stepney's producing and arranging, with a super-baroque style that's still light years ahead of most producers in pop! The ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful spacey soul and righteous rock/soul grooves from one of the most enigmatic groups ever to come out of the Chicago soul scene! The drummer really kicks it on this one – and more than a few cuts have a nice backbeat to them, and the record probably has a bit more of a rock feel than ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Cadet Concept pressing. Cover has some wear, a drillhole through the center, and stickers on the corners.)

Although it's easy to pass off this album as a cheapo follow-up record to Roundtree's fame in the Shaft movies – it's actually a pretty groovy soul record, with production by Eugene McDaniels, and arrangements by Leon Pendarvis and McDaniels – with an overall feel that's similar to some ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A great later effort from tenor sax giant Charlie Rouse – a record that's quite different than his 50s hardbop or his 60s modernist work with Thelonious Monk – but still pretty darn great in its own sort of way! The album features Rouse working with a larger ensemble in a batch of ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Kinda Groovy, indeed – one of Jimmy Rowles' most interesting records, as it also features the pianist singing a bit, too – in that raspy voice of his we find totally charming! Other players include Howard Roberts on guitar, Max Bennett on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums – and ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Side 1 has a mark that clicks a bit on track five. Cover has some staining, light wear, and a bit of sticker residue.)

Roxy Music's third album and the first one sans Brian Eno, making the record slightly less experimental, but still a wild avant pop masterpiece that finds the group at near peak perfection! The otherworldly elements aren't forgone in Eno's absence, with some spacey synthesizer washes and treated ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest records we've ever heard from percussionist Adam Rudolph, and one of the most spiritual too – an extended set that draws on some really rich global elements, yet brings them all together with the focus of a more ambitious jazz composition! Rudolph uses the Sonica Mandala ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

David Ruffin teams with Van McCoy for this sweet little set – and the result is a great batch of grooves that swell with Ruffin's soulful sound of the 70s, but sway with the warm McCoy dancefloor modes of the time! Van wrote nearly all the tracks in the set – and handled all ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Rufus without Chaka Khan – but a surprisingly nice set, nonetheless! The album features various members of the group on lead vocals – singing in a warm, compressed style that's got the same sort of AOR sound as the group's jazzy grooves at the time. The overall musicianship is still ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Great later work from Rufus – working here without Chaka Khan on vocals, but sounding even jazzier as a result! There almost seems to be more emphasis on the instrumentation than before – and the album's got a warmly funky groove that definitely carries on the 70s Rufus tradition, but ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

The first album – and an archetypal bit of jazzy rocking soul that would forever change the face of 70s pop. Chaka Khan and the band are still working things out at this point, but the record's got some excellent sweet funky moments, and some great LA production that drives the whole thing ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A stone cold classic, and probably the best record Rufus or Chaka ever did! By this point, they've honed their soul style into a nice jazzy groove, and Chaka's voice is in total control – without too much pyrotechnics, and with a nice mellow sound. Includes the classic hit "Hollywood&qu ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Over the years, how many films have been made about this guy anyway? We've never seen the movie, but the record's a gem – some very edgy scoring by Pete Rugolo, the ex-Kenton arranger who went on to do some great crime jazz work for a number of labels. This work isn't exactly in that style, ... (Soundtracks) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A percussion-heavy batch of tracks that has Pete Rugolo starting from a mode explored heavily in the hi-fi years, but taking the genre into much jazzier territory! With the help of a large group of west coast players – including Don Fagerquist, Larry Bunker, Herbie Harper, Frank Rosolini, ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Pete Rugolo was one of the best arrangers of the 50's, and although his work with Stan Kenton and June Christy is well-known, his better albums (like this one) don't really show up that often. Here, he conducts a tight set of orchestral tracks that feature solos by players like Pete Candoli, Don ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums to ever bear the name of Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars – a well-chosen monikker for a record to feature the talents of leading 50s west coasters like Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Cooper, Shelly Manne, Milt Bernhardt, and Herb Geller. The format here is a ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Sheesh, Howard Rumsey sure knew how to stick his name on a lot of records! (He must have been trying to give Norman Granz and Leonard Feather a run for their money!) Fortunately, most of them were also great – like this one, which features flute duets between Bob Cooper and either Bud Shank ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Cover has some surface wear, light aging, and a name in pen on the back.)

Todd Rundgren in all of his great early glory – a record that's filled with simple, honest pop tunes – and one that also takes on a few experimental touches as well – but only in ways that further the earnest charm at its heart! There's a really upfront, unpretentious feel to the ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Sweet sounds from the lovely lady – one of Patrice Rushen's last truly great albums, and a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A sweeeeeet groover by Patrice Rushen – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Nothing posh about this one – as the album's an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

In our opinion, this "comeback" material by Rushing was way better than his original work from the late 30s. He's got more of a sense of control here, and his approach to the material is extremely thoughtful, and always tinged with a good sense of jazz, making it swing a bit more than on ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(6 eye pressing with deep groove. Cover has a split top seam held with thick white tape, and small initials in pen on back.)

Reissue of a killer album by Jimmy – and certainly one of his best later records! The album includes the amazing track "Russian Lullaby", done in a totally swinging jazz version with Ray Bryant, Buddy Tate, and Sir Charles Thompson on organ. The track's incredible, and still sends ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Shrnkwrap has a hole and small tears on front.)

George Russel & The Living Time Orchestra —
African Game ... LPBlue Note, 1983. Near Mint- ...
$7.99

Titles include "Organic Life On Earth Begins", "Surival Game", "Human Sensing Of Unity With Great Nature", "African Empires", and "The Future". (Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal bit of late 80s soul – and one of Brenda's biggest albums ever! This 1988 set features some really sweet tunes by Brenda – a bit more off-beat pop than some of her contemporaries, recorded in a style that has some nice jazzy touches. David Sanborn guests on the track "Le ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful set from vocalist Connie Russell – a sexy singer whose sound perfectly matches her bottomless look on the cover of the record! Arrangements are relatively soft, but with a nice touch of jazz – and Connie's dusky vocals move effortlessly through the tunes – with nice ... (Vocalists) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Cover has some wear, stains, and seam splitting, with some tape on the bottom seam. Label has some pen.)

A classic live set that has Don Cherry joining George Russell's group that included Ray Pitts on tenor, Bertil Loevgren on trumpet, and Brian Trentham on trombone. The record is one of Russell's strongest, and manages to escape from some of the overly academic scoring that his albums are sometimes ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A record that will blow your mind – way different than you might expect from the cover! Sure, Pee Wee was a bit of a traditionalist on his instrument – the clarinet – but he's working here in a starkly modern way that almost recalls some of the best 50s work of Jimmy Guiffre, or ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

The one and only album recorded by the Russian Jazz Quartet – a one-off group that featured saxophonist Boris Midney and bassist Igor Berukshtis, both of whom defected from the Soviet Union – plus Roger Kellaway on piano and Grady Tate on drums. (Guess they couldn't call this the " ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

One of the most high-concept albums ever recorded by Bill Russo – a full suite of tracks dedicated to the Seven Deadly Sins, and scored with a level of sophistication to match the Stan Kenton group at its modernist height! Although the overall feel is jazz, there's also a fair bit of more ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A definite criss-crossing of Detroit and Memphis modes – as the funky soul of Mitch Ryder gets some hip backings here from Booker T & The MGs! Mitch always had a lot of soul-charged energy in his best early work anyway – but here, he really puts it all on the table – ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

An ECM power trio set from the late 70s – served up with a sound that's very much the sum of its three great parts! Terje Rypdal's guitar work is as enigmatic as ever – sharp-toned, and spinning out in really spacey, spooky ways – and Miroslav Vitous plays bass just like we like ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant first album from Marc Sadane – an artist who never hit big at the time, but who really shines here in a set of mellow and modern soul tracks that's completely sublime! Sadane gets great production help from the team of Mtume and Reggie Lucas – who set his wonderful vocals ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has a spot where a sticker was removed.)

Think what you want – we think this is a damn great soul album! Sure, the record was a crossover classic that got played to death back in the 80s – but give it a listen now, and you'll be stunned to hear how fresh it sounds, and how much it reminds you of all the British soul acts that ... (Soul) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Non-gatefold pressing, including the printed inner sleeve. Cover has some wear.)

We love Mort Sahl, and this Verve album is a perfect example of why we do. Mort doesn't really tell jokes, so much as he relates stories of his life, politics, and experiences with pop culture – all in a way that was years ahead of his time, and which influenced countless of today's ... (Comedy/Spoken) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Cover has a split top seam, half split bottom seam and spine, and light stains on back.)

One of AK Salim's far-reaching "jazz suites" from the late 50s. This one focuses on the bluer side of jazz, and features some excellent soloists – like Seldon Powell on flute and tenor, Sahib Shihab on baritone sax, Nat Adderley on cornet, and Phil Woods on alto – all playing ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Red label pressing, with deep groove. Cover has some wear, aging, and light stains, with some splitting and tape on the seams.)

Funk folks unfurling their freak flag, hailing from Tennessee – but working under the aegis of Marshall Chess and Abner Spector in the crossover mode of some of the other Cadet Concept albums from the time, plying a righteous verging-on-soul vibe that a lot of the hippy generation seemed to ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Cadet Concept pressing with deep groove, with a name in pen. Cover has some wear and aging.)

A slightly more subdued sophomore effort from Salloom Sinclair, veering more towards their countrified roots, but still in a heavy psychedelic bag like their debut LP. The pedal steel and more Nashville elements sit nicely against the duo's vocals on laconic, laid back set of back porch psych. ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Cover is wrinkled from moisture on the bottom half, with peeled spots on back.)

Guitarist Sal Salvador made few albums as a leader during his day – but all of them are a treat, especially this one! The set's a mid 50s outing that features Sal's guitar in a quartet with Eddie Costa on piano and vibes – and grooving in a lightly swinging style that has some traces ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Original red label pressing with deep groove – a nice copy. Cover has a small bit of tape on the seams, and a few light pen notes on back, but is very nice overall. Label has a stamp and a bit of pen, but is nice too.)

A beautiful and beautifully obscure set of jazz from the San Francisco scene of the 50s – a set that's split between work by the Rudy Salvini big band, singer Ree Brunell, and smaller group tunes by the Jerry Coker Quartet. Coker's a name that we mostly know from larger group work of later ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(Original pressing. Cover has clear tape on the top seam and bottom corners.)

The piece, subtitled "Tropes for Actor, Renaissance Consort, Chorus, and Electronics", features Stacy Keach as the Actor, and makes heavy use of multitrack recording. (Out Sound) LP, Vinyl record album

God, we love this record – and we're not ashamed to admit it! Sure, it sold a gazillion copies – and sure, for some folks it showed the true demise of the Crusaders ensemble. But for us, it's a masterpiece of smooth fusion, and a landmark album of easy jazz that spawned countless ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A groovy soundtrack to this hip surf film directed by Bruce Brown – filled with great little instrumentals that go way past the obvious! Brown had previously used jazz players for some of his films – including Bud Shank, who cut some great stuff for earlier soundtracks – but this ... (Soundtracks) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A fierce combination of piano and percussion – the former by Sten Sandell, the latter by Paal Nilsson Love – two very well-matched improvisers! The tracks here are mostly long and dynamic – very freewheeling performances by both musicians, but at a level that really holds strong ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A fantastically soulful set from Pharoah – recorded in the early 80s, with his quartet that included Idris Muhammad on drums, John Heard on bass, and William Henderson on piano. The session is live, and the overall feel is easy and mellow – still searching, as in the best mode of ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A set that continues the groove of Mongo Santamaria's other great Vaya work – and goes a bit more towards the R&B fusion mode – taking Mongo's Latin rhythms and infusing them with electric instrumentation to really make them cook! The sound is great, and the album grooves in a ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Killer Latin soul from Mongo! At some level, it might be hard to keep track of his late 60s sides for Columbia – but all you have to know is that they're all great, filled with pop Latin soul grooves that pushed way past his contemporaries, dancing around the conga with tight arrangements by ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Killer 70's material from Mongo, featuring a funky Latin groove tinged with some excellent electric playing on bass and Fender Rhodes. The record includes some of Mongo's best cuts from the time – like "Jelly Belly", "The Good Doctor", and the incredible "Happy As A ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A really pivotal album in the career of Mongo Santamaria – one that has Mongo stripping down the groove, kicking up some jazz, and mixing together soulful styles that brought him to the top of the Latin crowd of the 1960s! There's a tightness here that goes beyond any of Santamaria's ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(2 eye pressing. Cover has some wear, some stains, and a bit of pen on the back.)

An excellent obscure Mongo Santamaria album – and one that features a nice jazzy groove played by one of Mongo's best groups ever! The band features Joao Donato, the famous Brazilian pianist, doubling up on trombone on a number of tracks – something you never hear on his Brazilian ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A killer set from Mongo Santamaria – one of his first albums on Atlantic, and a record that really keeps up the groove of his Columbia sides! Mongo's moving into very funky territory here – working with arranger Marty Sheller, and getting some great help on keyboards from Neal Creque ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

One of Mongo's best Columbia LPs, and a totally hard hitting live set recorded with a very strong Latin jazz feel! The group's got some of Mongo's best players ever – like Hubert Laws and Bobby Porcelli – and the album's got lots of hard horn solos, and a good good groove throughout. ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(360 Sound stereo pressing. Cover has some wear, a sticker on front, and pieces of clear tape and a sticker on back.)

Killer Latin soul from Mongo, and a great batch of original tracks, played by a groovy little combo that includes Bobby Capers on alto, Ray Maldonado on trumpet, and a young Hubert Laws on flute, who also did some of the arrangements! The sound is hard, tight, and jazzy – with the kind of ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

(360 Sound stereo pressing. Cover has some wear, some staining and a hint of peeling along the bottom, and a promo stamp on the back.)

Mongo Santamaria at the height of his Latin Soul years – working on a cool Columbia session titled after an earlier hit, but served up with his new lean sound of the late 60s! The album's got that perfect Santamaria combo from the time – a group that features trumpet and these ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A seminal moment in the career of Mongo Santamaria – and probably the first record to show that he was destined for greatness! As you might guess from the title, the set features Mongo's key recording of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" – served up here in a sharp-edged ... (Latin) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

Pretty hip stuff, with a definite Coltrane influence – and Larry Young in the group on organ, along with Billy Cobham on drums and Armando Peraza on congas. Titles include "Naima", "A Love Supreme", "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord", "Meditation", ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A sublime 70s session from Moacir Santos – a set that mixes the complex grooves he forged in 60s Brazil with the warmly jazzy sound of American fusion – all in a result that's totally unique! The album's quite different than any other electric Brazilian sets recorded in the US at the ... (Brazil) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A cool 70s psychedelia set from Rick Saucedo – a rare one, made in the years before he became much more famous as one of the world's most renowned Elvis impersonators! Rick is a fascinating fella, and this totally credible, and nicely raw set is a far cry from The King. Titles include " ... (Rock) read moreLP, Vinyl record album

A very rare, very obscure RCA custom-pressed album that features early work from the combo of pianist Tubby Saussy – an artist who'd bloom more strongly as an arranger in the 60s! The group here is a quartet, with Saussy on piano, plus guitar, bass, and drums – and the set features a ... (Jazz) read moreLP, Vinyl record album